


little talks

by SweetInsanityWrites (SweetInsanityArts)



Category: The Book of Mormon - Ambiguous Fandom, The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Church is an artist, M/M, Mentions of abuse (canon), Naba is a wholesome angel, Plotless Fluff basically, Poptarts likes to go on walks, Romantic Fluff, churchtarts, idk man I just wanted to write some silly churchtarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 15:57:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19254409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetInsanityArts/pseuds/SweetInsanityWrites
Summary: Elder Thomas is acting strange and Elder Church is tasked with finding out why.Honestly I just wanted to write some silly Churchtarts fluff based on the time West End had Adam Bailey playing Poptarts because reasons.Therefore also featuring Alex Given's McKinley because curly boi.What even is my brain





	little talks

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on a train because I was bored and I didnt proofread anything so I'm sorry if it's a mess lol

“I ruined iiiit! “ Nabulungi whined, staring at the canvas in horror, where bright blue paint was now splattered over the forest scene she'd been painting. 

 

“It's just a happy accident.” James said calmly, putting down his own paint brush. He cocked his head to the side, thinking. “Add a few more colours here-” He gestured over the canvas. “and it will look kinda like a lense flare!” 

 

“What is a lense flare?” Naba asked. 

 

“Oh, uh, just some rainbow-ish reflections on photos. I don't actually know how they happen but they're pretty! I'll see if I can find an example later.”

 

The girl nodded eagerly and went back to her work, enthusiastically spraying more paint over her canvas. Considering she'd only been taking lessons from James for a month now, her results were quite impressive. She had a natural talent for colours and shapes, and her imagination was endless. 

 

“Elder? A word, please.” A calm voice sounded from the mission hut. 

 

Elder Church rolled his eyes and followed the District Leader into his office. You'd think getting excommunicated would have saved them from strict schedules and hard work, but even though the rules has loosened, McKinley made sure their stay in Uganda didn't turn into a holiday. 

 

“I don't like when you use the title, it always means trouble for me.” James said. 

 

“You're not in trouble.” Connor sighed. “I just- I need your help.” 

 

“Please don't drag me into your fights with Elder Price again, he's is still pissed that I agreed with you on the Frozen twist thing.” 

 

“Oh don't mind him, he's a spoiled brat.” The other Elder said fondly. 

 

It was a fascinating thing to witness, the way all that hard, composed attitude fell away when Connor talked about Kevin. His voice got softer, he smiled more and a kind of peacefulness seemed to surround him.

James kind of envied him. He wondered what it was like to care that much about a person. 

 

“Anyway,” Elder McKinley tore him out of his thoughts. “It's not about that. I need your help with Elder Thomas.”

 

“Poptarts? But he's  _ your _ companion.”

 

“He is. But he's been distanced lately and I can't reach him. I know I haven't been the best of friends with everything that's been going on, the excommunication and the finances, and yes Kevin, I know, I just-” 

The Elder sighed, running his hands through his dark curls. It was a habit he had. You could tell how hard his day had been by how messy his hair had been become from the constant fussing. Today didn't seem to be going too well. 

"I'm sorry. Chris isn't doing well and I don't feel like I'm the person he'd want to talk to right now. He likes you. Could you make aure he's okay? Please." 

 

“I guess I can try talking to him. ”

James offered. 

 

“Thank you.” Connor smiled. “You're dismissed.”

 

***

 

Poptarts was harder to find than expected . Ever since they decided the companion rule was a little harsh, he'd been spending a lot of time going on long walks through the villages and over the market.  

 

Today, James found the other Elder on the edge of the village, looking out over the fields. 

 

"Hope I'm not interrupting." He said softly. 

 

"You're not." Chris smiled. "I'm just waiting for the sun to set. The most interesting wildlife comes out in the evening." 

 

_ So do the criminals.  _ James thought. "You know Elder McKinley doesn't like us being out late." He said instead. 

 

"Connor needs to learn to mind his own business." 

 

"Sounds like you're cross with him. What did he do?" 

 

"Nothing, really." Chris sighed. "I guess I'm just… Jealous? He spends so much time with Kevin these days I hardly ever get to spend time with him. He's supposed to be my Companion!" 

 

James bit his lip and nodded thoughtfully. "Arnold complained as well. Maybe it's time for an intervention."

 

The other shook his head. "Ah, leave them be. Young love. They'll calm down eventually, let them enjoy it for now." 

 

There was something so warm and soft about him, James realised. He'd always felt comfortable around Elder Poptarts, but today that sense of trust and familiarity seemed especially strong. Maybe the painting had relaxed him enough to open up. 

 

"Have  _ you  _ ever been in love, Elder?" He asked. 

 

Chris shrugged. "As much as children can be in love. There were silly crushes, nothing too serious. But I've seen the way love changed my friends often enough to recognise the pattern."

 

James moved closer. He suddenly became very aware of how much taller the other Elder was, his lean silhouette towering above him. Like he could shield him from whatever life would throw at them. 

 

_ Where the hell did that thought even come from?  _

 

"I've never been in love." He admitted quietly. "My dad used to tell my mum he loved her. After hurting her. I used to think love meant nothing but pain."

 

"What do you think now?" 

 

"I don't know. Arnold and Nabulungi are very happy together. Connor is a changed man when he's with Kevin. Kevin got much less irritating." He shrugged. "And I guess I feel a lot of love for all you guys here."

 

Poptarts nodded slowly and smiled. "You're loved too, you know?" He said gently. 

 

James let out a soft laugh, trying to cover up how much the words moved him. 

 

"Chris," he said carefully, "why do you spend so much time out here? Walking around by yourself?" 

 

"No one ever offered to come walk with me." Chris answered simply. His eyes stared out into the empty fields. They grew glossy with emotion. "My sister loved to just walk around the town, observing. She'd find all the cool hidden places and met the most fascinating people. She just had this appreciation for the world around her. And I never really bothered. Not with places, not with people. Kinda learned the hard way to value every single moment I have." He swallowed hard, tearing his eyes off the horizon and looked right back at James, his gaze open and vulnerable. "I try to take in as much of this place and the people here as I can so I can share it all with her when I see her again in Heaven." 

 

"I'll walk with you." James whispered. "If you want me to." 

 

"You don't have to feel sorry for me." 

 

"I'm sorry for your loss. But I mean it. Let me come with you, show me the places you found. Tell me stories." 

 

Chris bit his lip and nodded. "Okay," He held out his hand. "come on then."

 

James felt his heart skip a beat as he took the other man's hand, letting him drag him back into the village. The setting sun drenched everything in orange light, making the huts cast long shadows over the scene. His hands itched to paint it. 

They came to the clearing where the villagers brought their animals to drink by the well during the day. 

Chris confidently approached the tree next to it, letting go of James' hand to place his palms firmly on the smooth bark. 

 

"Hope you're not wearing your best pants today." He grinned and without any further explanation began pulling himself up to the branches. 

 

James stared up at him. "Chris. You're like twice my height." 

 

The brunette looked down at him and reached out his hand. "Come on. Trust me." 

 

His chest feeling strangely tight, James took it, awkwardly letting the other pull him up, his feet scratching over the tree bark as he struggled to follow. They made their way up the tree, Chris surprisingly elegant while James clumsily followed. 

Finally, they reached a branch that was broad and flat enough to sit on. They caught their breath, trying to find a somewhat comfortable position to sit in. 

James ended up half leaning against Chris' chest, pressed against him close enough to feel the soft rhythm of his breathing. 

 

"If we fall into our death I'll haunt you in the afterlife." He huffed. 

 

"I won't let you fall." Chris said quietly, putting his arm around him. "I promise."

 

James took a deep breath, leaning into the embrace. Once again he felt that strange sense of security and trust. 

He gazed down on the village below. They weren't very high up but enough to see the huts spreading out below them, all the way to the mission hut in the distance. Muffled voices sounded from below, soft conversations between friends and family as the day came to an end. 

Someone was singing beautifully in the distance. 

 

"Kimbay likes to sing. She sings when she's working, she sings her prayers in the morning and before bed. She sings everytime we meet for a lesson." Chris said quietly. 

 

"Her voice is beautiful." 

 

"If you come here in the morning you can watch the kids play soccer over there while their parents do their chores and listen to the grandparents telling stories from their youth. Sometimes they see me up here and bring me fruit or water, it's really sweet."

 

His voice was low and soft, sending shivers down James' spine. He took a noticeably shaky breath. 

 

" James…" He said carefully. "I've actually been wanting to talk to you about something." Chris' eyes were fixed on something below them, his body tensing. 

 

"You can tell me anything." James said, his stomach tightening with concern. 

 

Chris smiled weakly and nodded. "I've had a lot of time to think on my walks, you know. After all these changes I really allowed myself to  _ feel _ again." 

 

James nodded. They all had started to deal with whatever trauma they had suffered in their own way. Some talked openly about it, others took time for themselves to work through it. He himself painted. 

 

"Among all the bad stuff that I've been trying to keep down for so long", the other continued, "I realised something I kept hidden even from myself. And I don't think its a bad thing. It could be a really good thing." He let out a small laugh. "That is a very complicated way of saying: I really like you, James." 

 

It was a good thing Chris had his arm around his back, otherwise James would've toppled over backwards. His head spun. 

 

"I know we've been told those feelings aren't right. But I see Connor and Kevin. I see how happy they are, how much they care about each other. And I just can't believe Heavenly Father would ever punish someone for a love that is pure and honest like theirs. And I can’t stop myself from falling in love with you."

 

Chris was still staring at the ground like he was afraid of seeing James' face. 

 

It was a lot to take in. He'd never thought much about the whole sexuality thing. If love and relationships brought nothing but pain and terror, why should he bother question if he'd rather be sad with a girl or a boy. But he couldn't deny how good it felt to be held by the other man. To feel the soft skin against his, to listen to the warm voice. 

 

"I'm sorry if this is making you uncomfortable. I just thought… I don't know. That you should know." Chris said hoarsely, finally looking up to meet his eyes. 

 

"I'm not uncomfortable." James said. "Just a bit… overwhelmed." His limbs felt shaky. There was something undeniably exciting about the situation. He turned towards the other man, careful not to lose his balance. They were close enough for him to feel the his breath on his cheeks. 

 

“That’s okay. I just wanted to be honest, I didn’t expect anything from it.”

 

“Can I kiss you?” James asked softly. “I just want to know… how it feels.”

 

Chris looked at him in surprise. “You don’t have to.”

 

“I know. I want to.”

 

James leaned forward, closing the space between them as he rested his forehead against Chris’, his heart pounding. Their lips touched softly and he closed his eyes, taking in every detail of this moment. The warm air around them, the soft blur of voices from below, the small gasp from the other man’s lips as he pulled him in and deepened their kiss. It was awkward at first, teeth clanging together, hands almost slipping as they tried to find a steady grip on the branches, childish giggling at the strangeness of the situation. They found their rhythm at last, limbs tangled, bodies pressed closely together, lips locking. The world around them disappeared and they were floating, far away from whatever fears or worries or questions they had.

 

“I don’t know what this is or what it means,” James whispered as they were catching their breath. “but I really like it.” 

 

Chris grinned back at him. “Well, we have the rest of our lives to figure it out.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Poptarts and James, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g
> 
> i'm an adult


End file.
